TRC - WWE Raw Event Archive
WWE Raw, April, Week 1, Year 1: We open the show with all the lights and pyro going off. Orville McMahon is standing in the ring, with the other brands' representatives. Kaje Stone from NJPW, Sebastian Clark from the NXT Parliament, and Dario Cueto from the Underground. McMahon: "Welcome everyone! Tonight begins a new era in wrestling history! Tonight, all the major players in wrestling join together in this new Universe for you.... the fans!" The Crowd goes wild. McMahon: "I asked the representatives of the other brands to join me here tonight for this historic occasion to show the solidarity between us, and show you our commitment to give you the best possible product on the planet. So, gentlemen, as my guests, and guests of the WWE brand, I hope you enjoy the show we have in store for you." The crowd claps as the representatives leave the ring. McMahon: "On to business! We have a pretty big event coming up here at the end of the month. So, I wanted to talk about that for a moment." A couple crewmen bring in a podium with a cover on it. McMahon removes the cover to reveal the new WWE Cruiserweight Championship. "First and foremost. The Cruiserweight Championship will be claimed by a new champion. Over the next four weeks, we will have four qualifying matches, with the winners advancing to a Fatal 4 Way match at Payback, and the winner of that match will be the new Champion!" The crowd approves of this decision. "As far as our last champion, Chad Gable. Now, he was unable to make weight, so we were forced to vacate his title, but that does not mean he will be punished futher, in fact, the opposite! Chad has begun to put weight back on as he moves back into the heavyweight division and will challenge Rusev, for the United States Championship at Payback." Good response from the crowd as both men are popular in their own right. "Daniel Bryan has already recieved a challenge for his Intercontinental Championship, and has accepted for Payback. His challenger? Former IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Tetsuya Naito!" Lots of cheers here. A 'That is awesome' chant breaks out in the crowd. "I agree, but that's not all! The Women's Championship will be defended, as well as the Tag Team Championships. And once I have decided on those challengers that I feel are worthy, I shall make an announcement, but.... I feel like I am forgetting something important...... Oh! Yes.... The World Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar!" Brock Lesnar's music hits, and out walks the Beast Incarnate with his advocate, Paul Heyman. Lesnar and Heyman enter the ring. McMahon shakes Lesnar's hand, and then Heyman's. He hands Heyman the mic, and exits. Heyman: "Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman. And I am the advocate for the reigning, defending, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, BRRRRRRRRRRRROCK LESSSSSSSNAAAAAR!" The crowd goes crazy for Heyman's shtick. "Mr. Lesnar wanted to come out there this evening, and thank our General Manager, Mr. McMahon, for recognizing greatness when choosing his champion, and for giving us the opportunity to do what he does best...... CONQUER!" Lesnar smiles as the crowd cheers. "Now, as we sat in a meeting with Mr. McMahon, the question came about as to who, would be Brock's first conquest. My words, not Mr. McMahon's, he was more diplomatic you see. He asked my client, 'Who would be your first title defense be against?' I have to say, I was a little taken back. You see, I have done business with McMahons for years, and I realize there is no relation here but still, I don't think we've ever been given the choice before. To me, it is a sign of a fresh perspective in the industry and a credit to his management style. So, again, we thank you. But enough about that. We still needed to answer the question. But before I could even react, my client uttered the following words..... 'I'm a fighter, Mr. McMahon. I don't back down from anything, never have, never will. So, if you're giving me the choice? I will go after the biggest dog in the yard and do what I do best. Conquer.' So, at Payback, It will be your World Heavyweight Champion, the Beast, defending against....." Heyman paused and handed the mic to Lesnar. Lesnar: "JOHN CENA!" The crowd explodes as Lesnar's music hits and they exit the ring. Match 1: The Lucha Dragons (Kalisto, Sin Cara) vs reDRagon (Kyle O'Reilly, Bobby Fish) The match never gets started as reDRagon attacks the Lucha Dragons on the stage with some steel pipes. Security finally stops the onslaught. reDRagon taunts on the ramp signaling that the Tag Team titles belong to them. Winner: No contest. Match 2: Cruiserweight Qualifier - Cedric Alexander vs KUSHIDA Very quick paced match. Both men got in a lot of offense. Alexander nailed a big jump off the ropes for an two count midway through the match. KUSHIDA comes back with a flurry of blows of his own before heading up top rope himself. He leaps, it's the Midnight Express (Corkscrew Moonsault), but Alexander manages to get up and counter it into the Lumbar Check (Double Knee Backbreaker). That should be all but KUSHIDA manages to roll out to the outside before Alexander can capitalize. Alexander is looking tired, but rolls to the outside to get KUSHIDA. He rolls him back in, gets back into the ring and is met with a sick roundhouse kick upside his head. KUSHIDA hooks the leg, Back to the Future (Small Package Driver) for the pinfall. Winner: KUSHIDA via Pinfall Match 3: Oliver Herface (w/ Rolo McDancealot) vs Big Cass (w/ Curt Hawkins) Big Cass uses his size advantage early on in the match, overpowering Herface. On the outside of the ring, the imposing size of the fun loving Rolo McDancealot keeps scaring off Curt Hawkins as McDancealot struts around the ring. Cass is just dominating Herface, but keeps getting distracted on what is happening outside. He finally has had enough and goes over to the ropes and has words with McDancealot, who promply responds by dancing suggestively at him, which infuriates Cass who wants to get physical with him outside, but Hawkins yells at him to turn around because he has a match. Cass does, and is promptly met with a Superkick, and then gets dropped face first into the Koji Clutch, forcing him to tap out. Cass is even more infuriated now as Herface and McDancealot celebrate on their way to the back. Winner: Oliver Herface via Submission Match 4: Tetsuya Naito vs Luke Harper Before the match, Naito comes out and cuts a promo on Daniel Bryan. Calling him washed up, claiming the only reason he is champion right now is because it was handed to him. At Payback, he will put him on the shelf again, permanently. The match starts with the much larger Harper looking to impose his power on Naito, but the quickness of Naito proves to be too much as Harper misses his first few shots. Harper does manage to get ahold of him long enough to send him into the ropes. Looking for his Spinning Side Slam, Naito counters into the Destino (Standing Shurinai) and gets the pin. Winner: Luke Harper via Pinfall Backstage, we see Big Cass and Curt Hawkins greeted by their Leader, Zack Ryder. He tells them that he isn't disappointed for Cass losing, but because he was distracted. Next week, Cass can't be distracted, because he gets an opportunity to show Rolo McDancealot what the Empire State of Mind is all about...... Match 5: Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins, Montez Ford) vs The Bar (Cesaro, Sheamus) The Profits are here to party, but The Bar is for sure not. Sheamus and Ford start things off with a little back and forth. Sheamus is frustrated by Fords quickness and taunting. Ford ends up eating a hard right hand when he was taunting Sheamus. Ford tags out and Dawkins is in, putting the fists to Sheamus to weaken him up. Sheamus quickly recovers and throws him into his corner. Quick tag to Cesaro as they both stomp away at Dawkins. A couple more quick tags keeps Dawkins tied up. Cesaro is in the ring and throws him to the ropes, Pop Up European Uppercut. Sheamus knocks Ford off the apron at the right moment to allow Cesaro to get the three count. Winner: The Bar via Pinfall Match 6: WWE Women's Champion Asuka vs Rhiannon Ambersoul (Non-Title) Ambersoul comes flying out of the corner into the champion. Lots of rights and lefts on Asuka, Ambersoul is relentless in her assault. Asuka is getting dominated by the rainbow feathered warrior. Ambersoul hits her Rainbow DDT (Headscissor DDT) early and follows it right up with the Chocobuster (Brainbuster), but Asuka kicks out. Ambersoul argues with the ref that it should have been a three count but the ref confirms just two. Before she can even turn around, Asuka locks her in the Asuka Lock (Crossface Chickenwing) and forces her to tap out. After the match, Kairi Sane appears on stage and speaks in Japanese at Asuka. While it's not understood what she said, she motioned to the championship and everyone understood that...... Winner: Asuka via Submission Main Event: John Cena vs Kassius Ohno Before the match, Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar join the commentary team. Heyman says the champ is out here to study his opponent. John Cena's music hits and out comes the number one contender. He walks over to the announcer desk and offers Lesnar a handshake but he just stands there stone faced. Cena heads back down to the ring where Kassius Ohno is already waiting. Cena and Ohno shake hands as the bell rings. Both men go for some hard strikes. Ohno is going shot for shot with the 16 time world champion. Ohno suplexes Cena down, but Cena is quick to recover and respond with one of his own. Cena throws Ohno to the corner and puts the fists to him. Ohno manages to push Cena out and attempt the Cyclone Kill (Spinning Yakuza Kick) but Cena ducks and hits the Blue Thunder Bomb. You know what comes next. Five Knuckle Shuffle! He connects and Ohno is seeing stars. Cena is stalking him, he picks him up, Attitude Adjustment! 1.....2......3...... That's all she wrote for this one. Raw goes off the air as Cena stares back at Lesnar who is holding his championship over his shoulder, clapping at Cena's victory. Winner: John Cena via Pinfall